The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show
The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show is a second season episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. It has not aired in the United States, until it got postponed to September 27th, 2009. In Canada the episode was aired on March 23, 2008, on the network Teletoon, with a disclaimer before the show stating that "the views in this program do not reflect that of Teletoon Canada or its parent companies". Plot The episode begins inside of the BET headquarters with fictional president of Entertainment Wedgie Rudlin holding the Monday staff meeting on Thursday where he states he is the "new, super-duper smart, Harvard educated president of entertainment." After asking staff members why he was hired, Rudlin says it's time to take BET in a new direction. After firing a board member, Rudlin tells his staff to make The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show happen. Following the opening credits, Uncle Ruckus is shown chronicling his life where his day typically starts at 4:45am, Ruckus says this is 12 hours before most black people get up, and begins saying a prayer for "The White Man". Ruckus denies being black and states he suffers from "Re-vitiligo" and applies an ointment composed of bleach and sulfur. Ruckus then goes on talk about his shrines to his white heroes including John Wayne and mentions he works 32 jobs including bus driver (where he is ignored and insulted by the suburban kids). While driving the bus, Ruckus stops the Freeman brothers, the only kids that show him a shred of respect, from boarding and tells them, "This bus is for kids with a future!" On arriving at J. Edgar Hoover Elementary, Ruckus is seen working as a janitor mopping the hall, bemoaning desegregation and ranting about black people in education and films. After school, Ruckus approaches Jazmine and asks if she is waiting for her father Tom, about whom Ruckus remarks to the camera, "He married to a white woman, lucky son of a bitch". Tom arrives in a kilt and tells Ruckus of his Scottish heritage and how he took a test that revealed he was 32.5% Scottish. Ruckus then visits a scientist and receives the results of his ethnic makeup. Midway through the scene, the action pans back to BET where Rudlin tells Deborah Leevil of his plan to start BET animation in order to destroy the minds of black kids at a younger age. A board member shows Leevil his creation: "Super Cyborg Mandigo Man", with the script in flipbook form, showing a stick figure throwing a spear. Leevil, unimpressed with the show not being evil enough, summons her associates, "Big Nigga" and "Crazy Bitch" to beat up the board member. The board member screams for Rudlin to save him, but his pleas fall on deaf ears when his face is scratched (it is unknown if he lived or not.) Leevil then asks about the Uncle Ruckus show and Rudlin tells her it is. Leevil issues a threat of killing, or at least serious injury. On the show, Ruckus receives his DNA test results, which reveal that he is 102% African with a 2% margin of error. Following this, Ruckus retreats in a bed-bound depression and quits all his jobs and contemplates selling "crack" and doubts he has re-vitiligo and calls on the Freemans for advice on how to be black. Robert points out there's nothing wrong with being black. In a sports store, Ruckus complains about no shoes named after white men. Afterward, while getting his hair cut, Ruckus jumps to the defense of U.S. president George W. Bush. Meanwhile, Rudlin kidnaps the doctor who gave Ruckus his results and forces him to send new results after unsuccessfully torturing him (the power for the building and the torture machine went out). Ruckus tries everything to adjust to his new status including reading Ebony magazine and drinking malt liquor. Ruckus contemplates suicide but Rudlin arrives on the scene to stop him. The scientist then arrives and puts the blame for the "mistake" on a black intern. He then reveals new results, showing Ruckus to be 50.07% Caucasian. At the end of episode, Ruckus is shown as a crossing guard and states he has "a lot more sympathy" for colored folks. Huey and Riley walk past and Ruckus assures them it's safe to cross, but a large removal van narrowly misses the boys, prompting Ruckus to laugh at their misfortune. Trivia *This is the only time Rukus believes the truth about him being black. **His racist views only got worse, believing he had to live the way he thought black people did. Banned in the U.S.A. There are widespread rumors that this show and its preceding episode ("The Hunger Strike") have been banned from airing in the U.S. due to threatened litigation from BET. However, a Cartoon Network representative stated that BET had not contacted Cartoon Network regarding the episodes.1 Sony Pictures Television, which produces the series, has not issued a statement on the matter. The episodes are said to specifically attack Reggie Hudlin, BET's President of Entertainment, and Debra L. Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of BET Holdings (parent company of BET.) Lee is portrayed as Deborah Leevil, a parody of the character Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies, and Hudlin is portrayed as Wedgie Rudlin, a "culturally insensitive buffoon coasting on his Ivy League education."2 However, it and its preceding episode ("The Hunger Strike") air in Latin America with no problems. This particular episode aired in the United States in 2009. "The Hunger Strike" has yet to be broadcast on American television. Cultural references * This is the second time Ruckus mentions his "condition" revitiligo is the reverse of Michael Jackson's vitiligo * Ruckus chastises Tom for wearing a kilt and supposedly mocking Mel Gibson who starred in Braveheart * Tom references African-American author, Alex Haley and his book Roots *Ruckus alluded to several African American fraternities, including Omega Psi Phi "barking like dogs," Kappa Alpha Psi "jumping up and down with candy canes," and Alpha Phi Alpha "Jail Phi Jail." * The character Wedgie Rudlin, a caricature of Reginald Hudlin, says he learned a business theory known as "Negative Elevation" from Harvard. * The character "Big Nigga" bears a resemblance to Morpheus from the film, "The Matrix". Gallery Ruckus show.jpg Uncle Ruckus Reality Show.jpg Ruckusshow.jpg Category:Episodes Category:Season 2 Category:Season finale Category:Banned episodes Category:Episodes with Uncle Ruckus Category:Episodes with Deborah Leevil Category:Episodes with Wedgie Rudlin Category:Episodes with Robert Freeman Category:Episodes with Huey Freeman Category:Episodes with Riley Freeman Category:Episodes with Tom DuBois Category:Episodes with Jazmine DuBois